Whilst you might think the secret to a good night's sleep is peace and quiet, silence might not be as golden as it sounds. Scientists have discovered what you actually need is noise - although it has to be a particular type.

Healthcare provider AXA PPP healthcare has been exploring sound techniques that could be worth a try, and they are even colour coded.

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“Noise can interrupt your sleep, causing you to wake, move, shift between stages of sleep, or experience a change in heart rate and blood pressure.

“But some noises can actually help us get to sleep by making us less conscious of our immediate environment, which allows our minds to relax in a way that’s similar to the processes involved in meditation.”

The advice follows a survey which said over half of us are unhappy with the amount of sleep they get and only 8 per cent of people state that they always wake up feeling refreshed.

Only half of people are satisfied with the sleep they get

Another survey said as many as 25 per cent of adults are losing sleep due to noise from their neighbours.

Other research has claimed the colour of your bedroom has an effect on sleep with purple decoration stimulating the brain leading to a poor night's sleep.

Blue is thought to help by reducing blood pressure and slowing the heart rate.